Diocese of Sale

Past and Present Ordinaries

• James Francis Corbett † (13 May 1887 Appointed - 29 May 1912 Died)
• Patrick Phelan † (12 Nov 1912 Appointed - 5 Jan 1925 Died)
• Richard Ryan, C.M. † (10 Mar 1926 Appointed - 16 Jun 1957 Died)
• Patrick Francis Lyons † (16 Jun 1957 Succeeded - 13 Aug 1967 Died)
• Arthur Francis Fox † (29 Nov 1967 Appointed - 25 Feb 1981 Retired)
• Joseph Eric D’Arcy † (25 Feb 1981 Appointed - 24 Oct 1988 Appointed, Archbishop of Hobart)
• Jeremiah Joseph Coffey † (8 Apr 1989 Appointed - 2 Jan 2008 Retired)
• Christopher Charles Prowse (18 Jun 2009 Appointed - 12 Sep 2013 Appointed, Archbishop of Canberra and Goulburn)
• Patrick Michael O’Regan (4 Dec 2014 Appointed - 19 Mar 2020 Appointed, Archbishop of Adelaide)
• Gregory Charles Bennet (27 Jun 2020 Appointed - )

Historical Summary

Statistics

Year	Catholics	Total Population	Percent Catholic	Diocesan Priests	Religious Priests	Total Priests	Catholics Per Priest	Permanent Deacons	Male Religious	Female Religious	Parishes	Source
1950	15,000	74,000	20.3%	26	2	28	535		8	93	15	ap1951
1966	42,946	147,000	29.2%	41	4	45	954		20	160	28	ap1967
1968	45,468	177,842	25.6%	43	4	47	967		23	155	27	ap1971
1980	54,559	225,000	24.2%	40	6	46	1,186		25	105	29	ap1981
1990	71,300	320,400	22.3%	38	6	44	1,620		19	75	29	ap1991
1999	82,546	334,349	24.7%	32	9	41	2,013	1	16	42	28	ap2000
2000	82,546	334,349	24.7%	30	8	38	2,172	1	16	45	27	ap2001
2001	82,546	334,349	24.7%	31	10	41	2,013	2	19	43	27	ap2002
2002	82,546	334,349	24.7%	31	8	39	2,116	2	16	37	27	ap2003
2003	82,546	334,349	24.7%	31	8	39	2,116	2	16	32	27	ap2004
2004	92,746	372,979	24.9%	33	7	40	2,318	3	16	30	25	ap2005
2010	96,000	386,000	24.9%	32	11	43	2,232	5	18	19	26	ap2011
2014	122,000	499,000	24.4%	30	9	39	3,128	5	14	19	27	ap2015
2017	127,100	510,000	24.9%	30	7	37	3,435	5	10	14	27	ap2018
2020	126,256	581,556	21.7%	31	8	39	3,237	5	8	10	27	ap2021
2022	131,769	613,742	21.5%	30	10	40	3,294	5	10	6	26	ap2023

Note: Any changes in boundaries over time are not indicated in the above table.

Affiliated Bishops, Living

• Gregory Charles Bennet (Bishop: 27 Jun 2020 - )
• Michael Joseph McKenna (Priest: 19 Aug 1983 to 15 Apr 2009)
• Patrick Michael O’Regan (Bishop: 4 Dec 2014 to 19 Mar 2020)
• Christopher Charles Prowse (Bishop: 18 Jun 2009 to 12 Sep 2013)

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Affiliated Bishops, Deceased

• Jeremiah Joseph Coffey † (Priest: 22 Jun 1958; Bishop: 8 Apr 1989 to 2 Jan 2008)
• James Francis Corbett † (Bishop: 13 May 1887 to 29 May 1912)
• Noel Desmond Daly † (Priest: 27 Jul 1952 to 21 Apr 1979)
• Joseph Eric D’Arcy † (Bishop: 25 Feb 1981 to 24 Oct 1988)
• Arthur Francis Fox † (Bishop: 29 Nov 1967 to 25 Feb 1981)
• Patrick Francis Lyons † (Coadjutor Bishop: 11 Oct 1956; Bishop: 16 Jun 1957 to 13 Aug 1967)
• Patrick Mary O’Donnell † (Priest: 15 Apr 1922 to 9 Dec 1948)
• Patrick Phelan † (Bishop: 12 Nov 1912 to 5 Jan 1925)
• Richard Ryan, C.M. † (Bishop: 10 Mar 1926 to 16 Jun 1957)